Lieser: Dolphins coach Adam Gase out of answers after 30-20 loss to Buccaneers

Adam Gase is out of answers, and his team is out of the playoff chase. (Allen Eyestone/The Post)

MIAMI GARDENS—Adam Gase’s message to the Dolphins after a brutal home loss to a bad Tampa Bay team was something to the effect of telling them they’re better than how they’ve played.

It’s getting harder to buy that he really believes that.

Gase has been annoyed by recurring lapses and mistakes throughout the season, as well as an offense and defense that never seem to play well at the same time. His team commits crippling penalties at the absolute worst moments, and he doesn’t have a quarterback he can trust.

All of that was in play as Miami lost 30-20 to the Buccaneers this afternoon, and it’s got to be wearing Gase down. When he’s really feeling good about this team, he’s defiant. His demeanor after the latest embarrassment still had hope, but he was relatively subdued.

There’s not much defense of how the Dolphins have played during this four-game losing streak, and he knows it. They’re 4-6 and not far from talking about draft positioning.

“I think if we can clean up the things that we can control, that’s going to give us our best chance,” he said, echoing a line he’s used all season. “We hurt ourselves more than anybody. Like today, I never felt like they really just flat out stopped us. It was always something when we had a drive where we didn’t do anything on offense.”

He’s right, but it’s unrealistic to expect this team to suddenly change—especially with the next stop on its schedule being a visit to New England.

Miami bumbled through the first half with Jay Cutler throwing an interception in the end zone on the opening possession. DeVante Parker’s legs got tangled up with Buccaneers safety Justin Evans, and Evans lunged in front of him for the pick. It looked like Evans would have had a good shot at the ball even if Parker hadn’t tripped.

The Dolphins put together a nice drive on the next possession and ended it with a touchdown to Jarvis Landry, but then it was back to interceptions on the next two possessions.

They were fortunate to be down just 20-7 at halftime. A better opponent, like the one they’ll encounter next, might’ve had double that lead.

“You just better move on to the next one, because we’re going to go on the road,” said Gase, who dropped to 14-13 as head coach. “We’ve got to find a way to get things cleaned up, and we got to play a way cleaner game than this. I know that.”

Gase would disagree vehemently with this, but it looks like he’s out of ideas. He’s tried everything at this point, scheme-wise and when it comes to personnel, and there’s not much more he can do besides make Matt Moore the permanent starter at quarterback. He was noncommittal on that subject.

According to multiple players, Gase was frustrated when he addressed the team after the game but tried to keep his tone upbeat.

“We’ll find out who wants to work,” safety Michael Thomas said. “Regardless of how you’re feeling, the game’s gonna be played on Sunday. We’re gonna see how men respond and get back to work. I know my mindset.

“We’ll see who’s really committed. If there’s a problem that keeps happening and you address it and it still doesn’t get fixed, at some point you’ve gotta say, ‘How committed are you to helping this team win?’”

Running back Damien Williams added, “Gase is gonna let you know what’s on his mind and how he feels. He blasts us every time we mess up. But he also let us know, ‘Hey, we’re a great team. Stop the penalties.’”

Ah yes, the penalties. Miami committed 17 of them. One more would’ve set a new franchise record. A lot of really good teams have penalty issues that ultimately don’t cost them, but the Dolphins aren’t nearly talented enough to absorb those.

Moore took a vicious hit while throwing a touchdown pass to tight end Anthony Fasano on his first possession, but it was waved off because Fasano pushed off. Miami ended up settling for a field goal.

In the second quarter, Cutler shockingly converted a third-and-16 by launching a 48-yarder to Jarvis Landry that put the Dolphins at Tampa Bay’s 26-yard line. That joy lasted merely a few seconds before the officials called them all the way back to the other end of the field because of a holding penalty by Jermon Bushrod. Predictably, the Dolphins ended up punting.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about discipline,” Williams said. “Guys have to lock in a little more. The refs aren’t on our side. We have to tighten technique and everything up as far as holding on to the ball and not getting stupid holding penalties or whatever it may be. A lot of times they’re questionable, a lot of times not.”

Everything about this team is questionable at the moment. It’s got a minus-97 point differential—only Cleveland and Indianapolis, two teams with a combined 3-17 record, are worse—and it’s sunk in the playoff chase. The answers aren’t coming this year.

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About the Authors

Jason Lieser has covered sports in Chicago, New Orleans and now South Florida

Joe Schad is a sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post who covers the Miami Dolphins. He previous covered sports for ESPN, the Orlando Sentinel and Newsday.

After 19 years as a sports writer, copy editor and assistant sports editor at The Miami Herald, Hal Habib joined The Palm Beach Post's sports department in 1998. Areas of coverage range from the Olympics, Kentucky Derby and Super Bowl to local sports.